I love gifts that are personal and homemade. But making a gift for my husband is always a challenge for me. Anything too cutsy is just not him. Every once in a while I hit it just right… like the year I made him a reading/TV quilt. He uses that a lot.

This year I have been thinking for weeks about what I could make for him and I finally had an idea…

My husband loves to shoot Trap with his buddies… so I thought I could make him a ammo bag.

But then I found out they cost $14.99 at Cabelas and I wasn’t sure I could save a lot of money by making one… once I bought the fabric and the belt and clasp. But the Cabela’s bag isn’t that great looking. Maybe I could spruce it up with a custom label.

I’ve been wanting to try a technique for making labels for a while now. The kids and I headed to Cabelas to pick up an ammo bag. And then I set to work to make a label.

3. Place together the wrong side of fabric to the waxy side of the freezer paper. The fabric should be centered over the freezer paper.

4. With the fabric side up, iron the fabric and freezer paper together. The wax of the freezer paper will melt and fuse the fabric to the paper.

5. Cut your fabric down to 8 1/2 by 11 inches (a standard sheet of paper.) I used a piece of paper as a guide.

6. Create the document you want to print. You can get fancy and create it in Photoshop or do what I did and create something simple in word.

7. Set your printer settings to the high resolution. Feed your fabric into your printer making sure the fabric is on the side that will print. If you are not sure what side your printer prints on, make a mark on a piece of scrap paper and then feed it through. This will show you which way to feed the fabric in.

8. Once printed, I ironed the fabric on high to heat set the lettering. You can also peel the freezer paper off the back at this point. I choose to keep it on to give stability to the label.

9. Cut your label to desired size.

10. Cut your backing fabric to desired size. I ironed on some Wonder Under to the back of my backing fabric to give it stability and to make it easier to adhere to bag.

11. Stitch the label to the backing fabric. I used a small blanket stitch. You can stitch it by hand if you don’t have a sewing machine.

12. Now iron your label to the bag if you used Wonder Under. Then stitch your label to the bag with a blind stitch to secure. (If it fits on your machine, you could machine stitch it on using a decorative stitch.)

This technique can be used for all sorts of projects… making labels for luggage, for a backpack or lunch box, or any sewing project like an apron or clothing.

The ammo bag turned out great… much better than saying “Cabelas”. And I know my husband will get a kick out the label… the guys have a long running joke about whether “Real men like Parfaits.” My husband is in the loving breakfast parfaits camp…

I just heard on the news that today is “Man Day.” So you better go out and eat a parfait.

Hi, I followed your tutorial, making a small label for a quilt. Sewed it on the quilt, washed it and poof, my writting was gone!
Any ideas what I may have done incorrectly?
Thanks! I made another one the same way and I am afraid to sew it on the quilt and wash it.

I was also wondering how these would hold up to washing. It seems like the laser printed labels might hold up better, but if I want color, I will have to use my inkjet. Has anyone else made these on an injet printer and washed the labels?

Hi Jennifer, I apologize for the long delay in getting back with you. I was waiting to hear back from a friend who is more of an expert on making labels. The label I made was a first time project and I have not washed it. It was printed on a laser printer that went on an ammo bag for my husband…. and I doubt it ever will get washed. My friend recommended using a product from either Indygo Junction or Electric Quilt if you want something that needs to be or is meant to be washed. Here’s a few links: http://www.electricquilt.com/Shop/Printing/Fabric.asp or http://www.indygojunctioninc.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=829 and I think these products are available at the craft store. Good luck with your project. Cheers, Calli

What I would do if I made a label that needed to be washed is to print on transfer paper and iron it on a plain or colored piece of material then follow the rest of the directions. I have made picture quilts that hang on the wall thisway and it’s really simple to do.

I’m curious as I have a Dell color laser printer but you didn’t mention it. Can I use cotton fabric? Wouldn’t the printer be too hot for the material? I don’t want to start a fire; I can see it now. LOL Thanks for the info. :)